The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they can’t see the light of the good news that makes Christ’s glory clear. He is the image of God.
“The Lord has blinded their eyes, and he has closed their minds, so they can’t see with their eyes, and they can’t understand with their minds or turn to the Lord—if they could, he would heal them.”
But they still don’t understand; to this day, the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. The veil has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.
to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God. I want them to have their sins forgiven and find a place among God’s people by believing in me.’
God said, “Let light shine out of darkness.” And he made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light we needed to know God’s glory, which is shown in the face of Christ.
You were following the ways of this world and serving the one who rules over the spiritual forces of evil. That’s the spirit who’s still at work in those who aren’t obeying God.
We’re not fighting against human beings, but against the rulers, authorities, and powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly world.
Jesus spoke to the people again and said, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in darkness. They will have the light of life.”
Then Jesus told them, “You’re going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness catches up with you. Whoever walks in the dark doesn’t know where they’re going.
None of our faces are covered with a veil. All of us can see and contemplate the Lord’s glory. So we’re being changed to become more and more glorious like him. All this comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
God has chosen to make known to them the glorious riches of that mystery among the Gentiles. And here’s what it is: Christ is in you, the hope of glory.
But in a sense, I am writing you a new command. Its truth was shown in the way Jesus lived, and it’s also shown in the way you’re living. That’s because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
The Word became human and made his home with us. We have seen his glory the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The Son is the brilliance of God’s glory and the exact likeness of God’s being. He holds everything together by his powerful word. Once he had provided the way for people to be made pure from sin, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
We can also rely completely on the message of the prophets. It’s important for you to pay attention to it. That message is like a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
If I hadn’t done works among them that no one else had done, they wouldn’t be guilty of sin. But now they’ve seen those works and they’ve still hated both me and my Father.
The seed that fell among the thorns stands for those who hear the message but then have it crowded out by the worries of this life and the false promises of wealth, which keep it from producing fruit.
They said the Messiah would suffer but then be the first to rise from the dead, and that he would bring the message of light to the Jews and to the Gentiles.”
But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness. They’re walking around in the darkness, and they don’t know where they’re going, because the darkness has made them blind.